British number one Katie Boulter has complained that the smell of cannabis is putting her off her game at the US Open.
On Sunday, the final major of the season begins at Flushing Meadows in New York, where cannabis is legal for adults aged 21 and over.
Though smoking is not permitted on site, the smell of cannabis wafts on to court from nearby Corona Park and has bothered a number of players in previous years, including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev.
Boulter, who is preparing to face American wildcard Carol Young Suh Lee in the first round, says it is possible to smell cannabis “a lot” on the practice courts.
“I’m not a huge fan of it,” said Boulter, the world number 60. “I know a lot of players have complained on some of the specific courts. I’ve played on one before and I did smell it during my match.
“It’s something that I wouldn’t like to smell in the middle of my match. I’m trying to focus and then obviously, it takes you out of the moment and you really don’t want to.
“You don’t need distractions. So yeah, I wasn’t a huge fan of it.”
The smell of cannabis has been a persistent issue at the US Open.
In 2022, Australian Open doubles champion Nick Kyrgios complained that a fan was triggering his asthma by smoking courtside, prompting the umpire to ask supporters to refrain.
Greece’s Maria Sakkari pointed the smell out to an umpire midway through a set in 2023, later clarifying that it wasn’t an excuse for her defeat.
The United States Tennis Association, which organises the event, says it works with the local police and parks department to reduce smoking on the site boundary.
It said: “While we can’t control what takes place off the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we continue to be vigilant as we maintain this.”
Britain’s Fran Jones and Harriet Dart, who both qualified on Friday, have also noticed the smell.
“Last year I made a joke about that, in my first round, and I said to the guy, ‘is this normal?'” said Jones, whose tournament begins against Poland’s Magda Linette on Monday.
“Because I was on the stadium, and it’s next to the park. He’s like, ‘yeah”. and I was like: ‘Well, no wonder I’m playing pretty well.’
“This year I’ll be like ‘no, lock in, lock in!'”
After beating British compatriot Heather Watson in qualifying to set up a first-round match against the United States’ Peyton Stearns, Dart said: “I mean it’s New York. It’s New York.
“I feel like everywhere you walk around, it’s everywhere, no?
“It is what it is. Same for everyone.”
